National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC)

The National Board for Respiratory Care, commonly known as the NBRC, is the primary credentialing organization for respiratory therapists and pulmonary function technologists in the United States.

It develops national examinations that evaluate whether candidates possess the knowledge, clinical judgment, and professional competence needed for safe practice. NBRC credentials are recognized by employers, educators, and state licensing agencies throughout the country.

Through general and specialty credentials, examination standards, verification services, and credential-maintenance requirements, the organization supports professional accountability and helps protect patients who depend on qualified respiratory care practitioners.

What Is the National Board for Respiratory Care?

The National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) is a national credentialing organization that evaluates respiratory therapists and pulmonary function technologists through standardized examinations.

Its primary responsibility is to determine whether candidates meet defined competency standards. Individuals who satisfy the eligibility requirements and achieve the required examination score may earn an NBRC credential.

The organization does not operate respiratory therapy schools, issue college degrees, employ respiratory therapists, or grant legal permission to practice. Those responsibilities belong to educational institutions, employers, and state licensing authorities.

Instead, the NBRC provides an independent assessment of professional competence. This creates a consistent national standard that can be used by:

• Respiratory therapy graduates
• Educational programs
• Healthcare employers
• State licensing boards
• Credentialing departments
• Professional organizations
• Patients and the public

The NBRC also maintains records of credentialed practitioners, provides credential verification, publishes examination information, establishes renewal requirements, and updates testing standards as respiratory care practice changes.

Why Respiratory Care Requires Credentialing

Respiratory care is a specialized healthcare profession focused on patients with cardiopulmonary disorders. Respiratory therapists assess, treat, monitor, and educate patients across the lifespan.

They may care for premature infants, children with airway disease, adults with chronic lung disorders, trauma patients, surgical patients, and critically ill individuals requiring life support.

Common responsibilities include:

• Administering oxygen
• Delivering aerosolized medications
• Managing artificial airways
• Assisting with intubation
• Performing airway suctioning
• Operating mechanical ventilators
• Obtaining and interpreting blood gases
• Conducting pulmonary function testing
• Monitoring cardiopulmonary status
• Participating in emergency response
• Educating patients and families
• Supporting chronic disease management

These duties can directly affect a patient’s ability to breathe. An incorrect ventilator setting, delayed airway intervention, inappropriate oxygen level, or misinterpreted blood gas can lead to serious harm.

Respiratory therapists must therefore demonstrate more than technical ability. They must recognize changing clinical conditions, identify treatment priorities, understand risks, and evaluate patient responses.

National credentialing provides a structured method of determining whether a practitioner has met minimum professional standards before using a recognized respiratory care designation.

The Mission of the NBRC

The mission of the NBRC is to promote excellence in respiratory care by awarding credentials based on competence.

This mission connects professional testing with patient protection. The goal is not simply to determine whether a candidate can recall information. The credentialing process is intended to identify individuals who can apply respiratory care knowledge appropriately and safely.

The NBRC’s vision is to serve as a leader in the establishment and advancement of credentialing standards in respiratory care.

Its core values include:

• Operating ethically
• Providing responsive and efficient service
• Supporting high-quality credentialing
• Acting in the best interests of the profession
• Protecting the public
• Maintaining fair examination practices

Note: These principles guide examination development, administration, scoring, credential verification, and renewal policies.

The History of Respiratory Care Credentialing

The development of national respiratory care credentials reflects the growth of the profession. Early respiratory care workers were often called oxygen technicians or inhalation therapy technicians. Their duties initially focused on oxygen administration and aerosol treatments.

As medical technology advanced, respiratory care personnel assumed responsibility for more complex procedures, including:

• Positive-pressure ventilation
• Arterial blood gas analysis
• Airway management
• Pulmonary function testing
• Cardiopulmonary monitoring
• Intensive care procedures
• Neonatal respiratory support
• Emergency airway care

Note: The expanding scope of practice created a need for formal education, standardized testing, and nationally recognized credentials.

Early National Credentialing

• In 1960, the American Registry of Inhalation Therapists was established to examine and credential registered therapists.
• A separate certification board was created in 1968 for respiratory therapy technicians. The two credentialing pathways reflected the distinction between technician-level and therapist-level responsibilities at that time.
• In 1974, the organizations merged to form the National Board for Respiratory Therapy. This merger created a more unified national credentialing structure.
• In 1983, the organization adopted the name National Board for Respiratory Care. During the same period, pulmonary function technology credentialing became part of the broader respiratory care system.

Note: The NBRC has continued to expand and revise its credentialing programs as the profession has become more specialized.

Credentialing and Licensure Are Different

Credentialing and licensure are closely related, but they are not interchangeable.

What Is a Professional Credential?

A credential is a professional designation awarded after an individual meets eligibility requirements and passes an examination.

Examples include:

• Certified Respiratory Therapist
• Registered Respiratory Therapist
• Neonatal/Pediatric Specialist
• Adult Critical Care Specialist
• Pulmonary Function Technologist credentials

Note: A credential demonstrates that the individual met the standards established by the credentialing organization.

What Is a State License?

A license is legal authorization to practice within a state or jurisdiction. Licenses are issued by governmental agencies or state licensing boards.

State requirements may include:

• Graduation from an approved respiratory care program
• Passing an accepted national examination
• Payment of licensing fees
• Submission of an application
• Background screening
• Credential verification
• Continuing education
• Periodic renewal

Note: A person may hold an NBRC credential but still need to complete separate state licensing requirements.

How the Two Systems Work Together

Most states that regulate respiratory therapy use NBRC examination results as part of the licensing process. This arrangement allows state boards to rely on a nationally developed and standardized assessment rather than creating separate examinations for each jurisdiction.

A national credential also supports professional mobility. A respiratory therapist moving to another state may use the same NBRC credential when applying for a new license.

However, state requirements still vary. A therapist may need to complete a new application, submit fees, provide documentation, or satisfy additional continuing education rules.

The Relationship Between Accreditation and Credentialing

Educational accreditation and professional credentialing perform different functions. Accreditation evaluates the quality of an educational program, while credentialing evaluates the competence of an individual graduate or practitioner.

Respiratory therapy programs are expected to prepare students for the clinical responsibilities of the profession. Their curricula commonly include:

• Anatomy and physiology
• Cardiopulmonary physiology
• Chemistry
• Physics
• Microbiology
• Pharmacology
• Patient assessment
• Cardiopulmonary disease
• Airway management
• Mechanical ventilation
• Blood gas analysis
• Pulmonary diagnostics
• Neonatal and pediatric care
• Emergency care
• Ethics and professional conduct

Students also complete supervised clinical education in hospitals, outpatient facilities, laboratories, long-term care settings, and other healthcare environments. After graduation, a national examination provides an independent assessment of the candidate’s readiness.

This separation is important. Educational institutions teach and evaluate their own students, while the NBRC provides an external measure based on national competency standards.

The Certified Respiratory Therapist Credential

The Certified Respiratory Therapist credential represents an established level of professional competence in respiratory care.

Candidates who earn the CRT credential have demonstrated that they possess the knowledge and judgment required to meet the applicable passing standard on the national respiratory therapy examination.

The CRT designation may satisfy entry-level credentialing requirements in some employment or licensing situations. It indicates that the practitioner has completed the required educational pathway and passed a nationally recognized assessment.

The credential may be associated with responsibilities such as:

• Performing patient assessments
• Administering oxygen
• Delivering aerosol therapy
• Assisting with airway care
• Monitoring respiratory status
• Performing routine respiratory procedures
• Participating in emergency care
• Educating patients

Note: The exact duties permitted depend on state law, employer policy, training, experience, and clinical privileges.

The Registered Respiratory Therapist Credential

The Registered Respiratory Therapist credential represents a higher level of demonstrated achievement. Candidates who meet the higher passing standard on the Respiratory Therapy Examination may earn the RRT credential.

The RRT designation reflects advanced performance in both respiratory care knowledge and clinical decision-making.

An RRT is expected to demonstrate competence in areas such as:

• Comprehensive patient assessment
• Mechanical ventilation
• Advanced airway management
• Blood gas interpretation
• Cardiopulmonary monitoring
• Emergency response
• Critical care
• Clinical problem-solving
• Treatment modification
• Evaluation of patient outcomes

Many employers prefer or require the RRT credential for positions involving advanced clinical responsibilities.

The credential may also be required or preferred for roles in:

• Intensive care
• Neonatal care
• Pediatric care
• Transport
• Pulmonary diagnostics
• Education
• Management
• Clinical leadership
• Specialty practice

Note: The distinction between CRT and RRT is based on examination performance rather than job title alone.

The Respiratory Therapy Examination

The Respiratory Therapy Examination is the comprehensive NBRC board examination used to evaluate candidates seeking the CRT or RRT credential.

Candidates complete a single examination that assesses respiratory care knowledge and clinical judgment. Their overall performance determines whether they meet the standard for the CRT credential, the higher standard for the RRT credential, or neither credential.

This unified structure allows the NBRC to evaluate foundational concepts and advanced decision-making within the same testing process.

Purpose of the Examination Structure

The Respiratory Therapy Examination is designed to provide an efficient credentialing pathway without reducing the standards associated with respiratory care practice.

Its structure is intended to:

• Provide one comprehensive testing process
• Evaluate knowledge and judgment together
• Reduce repeated scheduling and travel
• Limit unnecessary testing barriers
• Improve efficiency for candidates
• Maintain the standards of the CRT and RRT credentials
• Reflect modern respiratory care responsibilities

Note: Clinical reasoning remains an essential part of the examination. It is evaluated through questions based on realistic patient-care situations that require interpretation, prioritization, and safe decision-making.

Respiratory Therapy Examination Format

The Respiratory Therapy Examination contains 185 multiple-choice questions.

Of these:

• 160 questions are scored
• 25 questions are unscored pretest items

Pretest questions are used to collect performance data and evaluate whether items may be suitable for future scored examinations. Candidates are not told which questions are scored and which are unscored.

The examination has a total testing time of four hours and is divided into two sessions:

• First session: two hours
• Optional break: up to 10 minutes
• Second session: two hours

The break is optional. Candidates who complete the first session early may continue into the second session without using the entire break period.

Note: This structure provides enough time to assess a broad range of respiratory care concepts while dividing the examination into manageable testing periods.

Dual Cut Scores for CRT and RRT Credentials

The Respiratory Therapy Examination uses two performance standards, which are commonly called cut scores. Candidates who achieve the lower cut score may earn the CRT credential. Candidates who achieve the higher cut score may earn the RRT credential.

This approach allows one examination to distinguish between two levels of demonstrated competence.

The lower standard reflects the knowledge and judgment required for the CRT credential. The higher standard reflects the more advanced knowledge, interpretation, and clinical reasoning associated with the RRT credential.

Note: The candidate’s overall examination performance determines which credential is awarded. A separate clinical examination is not required to earn the RRT credential.

Breadth of Respiratory Care Knowledge

One major component of the Respiratory Therapy Examination evaluates the breadth of a candidate’s knowledge.

This portion assesses the scientific, technical, and clinical concepts required in respiratory care practice.

Topics may include:

• Cardiopulmonary anatomy
• Respiratory physiology
• Pathophysiology
• Pharmacology
• Equipment operation
• Diagnostic testing
• Patient assessment
• Oxygen therapy
• Airway management
• Aerosol drug delivery
• Mechanical ventilation
• Infection prevention
• Emergency care
• Patient education
• Disease management

Questions may test recall, application, and analysis. Some questions require direct recognition of a fact or principle. Others require the candidate to interpret clinical data and choose the most appropriate response.

For example, a candidate may need to determine:

• The cause of an abnormal blood gas
• The appropriate oxygen device
• Whether a medication is indicated
• The reason for an elevated airway pressure
• The significance of a pulmonary function result
• Which clinical finding requires immediate attention

Note: This portion of the examination helps confirm that the candidate possesses a broad understanding of respiratory care practice.

Depth of Clinical Judgment

Another major component evaluates the depth of the candidate’s clinical judgment. These questions measure whether the candidate can apply respiratory care knowledge to realistic patient situations.

Clinical judgment involves:

• Gathering relevant information
• Identifying urgent findings
• Determining treatment priorities
• Selecting appropriate interventions
• Avoiding unnecessary procedures
• Recognizing contraindications
• Reassessing the patient
• Modifying care based on the response

The examination may present patients from different age groups and care settings.

Patient populations may include:

• Neonates
• Infants
• Children
• Adults
• Older adults

Clinical settings may include:

• Emergency departments
• Intensive care units
• General hospital units
• Transport environments
• Outpatient clinics
• Sleep laboratories
• Pulmonary function laboratories
• Long-term care facilities
• Home care

Scenarios may involve conditions such as:

• Trauma
• Asthma
• COPD
• Pneumonia
• Respiratory failure
• Cardiac disease
• Neuromuscular weakness
• Neonatal lung disease
• Sleep-disordered breathing
• Postoperative complications

Note: These questions require candidates to analyze the patient’s condition rather than rely only on memorized facts.

Examples of Clinical Reasoning Skills

A candidate may be asked to interpret several clinical findings at the same time.

For example, a question may provide:

• Vital signs
• Breath sounds
• Oxygen saturation
• Blood gas results
• Chest imaging
• Ventilator settings
• Airway pressures
• Patient symptoms

The candidate must determine what the findings mean and identify the safest next action.

An appropriate response may involve:

• Increasing oxygen support
• Adjusting ventilation
• Suctioning the airway
• Administering a bronchodilator
• Initiating noninvasive ventilation
• Preparing for intubation
• Repeating a diagnostic measurement
• Discontinuing an ineffective treatment
• Recommending further evaluation

The examination may also assess whether the candidate recognizes when no immediate intervention is necessary.

Good respiratory care does not involve performing every available procedure. It involves choosing the action that best matches the patient’s condition while avoiding interventions that are unnecessary, delayed, or harmful.

Competency Expectations for CRT Candidates

Candidates seeking the CRT credential must demonstrate respiratory care knowledge and an appropriate level of clinical judgment.

The lower cut score represents more than factual recall. Candidates must show that they can interpret clinical information, recognize important findings, and make safe entry-level decisions.

This integrated standard encourages respiratory therapy students to develop clinical reasoning throughout their education.

Students should practice:

• Interpreting patient data
• Recognizing clinical priorities
• Comparing treatment options
• Identifying contraindications
• Evaluating treatment responses
• Applying knowledge to case scenarios

Note: The CRT standard is intended to identify candidates who are prepared to perform essential respiratory care responsibilities safely under the appropriate level of clinical supervision and medical direction.

Competency Expectations for RRT Candidates

The RRT credential represents a higher level of examination performance and clinical competence. Candidates seeking the RRT credential must achieve the higher cut score on an examination that evaluates both broad respiratory care knowledge and advanced clinical judgment.

They must demonstrate:

• Strong scientific knowledge
• Accurate interpretation of clinical data
• Safe treatment selection
• Prioritization of patient needs
• Recognition of complications
• Appropriate reassessment
• Advanced problem-solving

Note: The integrated multiple-choice format does not reduce the importance of clinical decision-making. Candidates must still demonstrate that they can evaluate complex situations and select appropriate actions across different patient populations and care settings.

Preparing for the Respiratory Therapy Examination

Preparation should begin with the current official examination content outline and candidate handbook.

Because examination policies, eligibility rules, and content distributions may be revised, candidates should verify requirements directly with the NBRC before scheduling their test. An effective study plan should address both content knowledge and clinical application.

Review Foundational Content

Candidates should understand the major areas of respiratory care, including:

• Patient assessment
• Cardiopulmonary physiology
• Respiratory disease
• Pharmacology
• Oxygen therapy
• Airway management
• Mechanical ventilation
• Blood gas analysis
• Pulmonary diagnostics
• Neonatal and pediatric care
• Emergency procedures
• Infection control

Practice Clinical Application

Candidates should practice questions that require interpretation of complete patient scenarios.

Useful study activities include:

• Reviewing case studies
• Interpreting blood gases
• Analyzing ventilator graphics
• Comparing treatment options
• Identifying urgent findings
• Reviewing contraindications
• Evaluating patient responses
• Practicing prioritization

Note: The goal is not only to identify the correct treatment but also to understand why it is appropriate for the patient.

Develop Time-Management Skills

The examination contains many questions within a limited testing period. Candidates should practice maintaining a steady pace. Spending too much time on one difficult item may reduce the time available for questions that can be answered more confidently.

Practice examinations can help candidates become familiar with:

• Reading efficiently
• Identifying key data
• Eliminating incorrect options
• Managing uncertainty
• Maintaining focus
• Using time appropriately

NBRC Specialty Credentials

General respiratory care credentials establish broad professional competence. Specialty credentials recognize additional expertise in focused areas of practice.

Pulmonary Function Technology

Pulmonary function technologists evaluate how effectively the lungs move air, exchange gases, and respond to medications or physiologic stress.

Their responsibilities may include:

• Spirometry
• Lung-volume testing
• Diffusion-capacity testing
• Bronchodilator response testing
• Bronchoprovocation
• Exercise testing
• Respiratory muscle testing
• Equipment calibration
• Quality assurance

Accurate pulmonary function testing depends heavily on patient coaching, proper technique, equipment performance, and recognition of unacceptable maneuvers.

A poorly performed test may produce misleading results and affect diagnosis or treatment. Specialty credentialing helps establish professional standards for individuals working in this diagnostic area.

Neonatal and Pediatric Respiratory Care

Neonatal and pediatric respiratory care requires knowledge of developmental anatomy, physiology, and disease.

Specialists may care for patients with:

• Prematurity
• Respiratory distress syndrome
• Transient tachypnea
• Meconium aspiration
• Bronchiolitis
• Congenital heart disease
• Pediatric asthma
• Croup
• Neuromuscular disease
• Respiratory failure

Important areas of knowledge include:

• Fetal circulation
• Transition at birth
• Surfactant function
• Neonatal oxygen therapy
• Infant airway anatomy
• Neonatal ventilation
• Pediatric ventilation
• Family-centered care
• Developmental differences

Note: Neonatal and pediatric patients can deteriorate quickly. Therapists must recognize subtle signs of distress and select equipment suited to the patient’s size and condition.

Adult Critical Care

Adult critical care specialists work with patients who have severe or unstable cardiopulmonary conditions.

These may include:

• Acute respiratory distress syndrome
• Severe pneumonia
• Sepsis
• Shock
• Trauma
• Respiratory failure
• Neurologic injury
• Severe asthma
• COPD exacerbation
• Multisystem illness

Responsibilities may include:

• Lung-protective ventilation
• Advanced ventilator management
• Airway pressure assessment
• Ventilator waveform interpretation
• Blood gas analysis
• Hemodynamic monitoring
• Weaning assessment
• Emergency airway care
• Interprofessional consultation

Note: This specialty credential recognizes the advanced knowledge needed in high-acuity settings.

Sleep Disorders

Respiratory therapists working in sleep medicine may participate in the evaluation and management of sleep-related breathing disorders.

These conditions include:

• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Central sleep apnea
• Sleep-related hypoventilation
• Nocturnal oxygen desaturation
• Complex sleep-disordered breathing

Responsibilities may include:

• Polysomnography
• Positive airway pressure titration
• Mask fitting
• Equipment troubleshooting
• Patient education
• Adherence support
• Recognition of abnormal respiratory patterns

Note: Sleep medicine combines respiratory physiology, monitoring technology, airway pressure therapy, and patient education.

Asthma Education

Asthma educators help patients understand and manage asthma.

Their responsibilities may include:

• Teaching inhaler technique
• Explaining controller medications
• Explaining rescue medications
• Identifying triggers
• Developing action plans
• Teaching peak flow monitoring
• Supporting adherence
• Recognizing worsening symptoms

Note: Asthma education reflects the broader role of respiratory therapists in prevention, chronic disease management, and patient self-care.

How NBRC Examinations Are Developed

Credentialing examinations must be fair, valid, reliable, and relevant to professional practice. Respiratory care professionals participate in identifying the knowledge, skills, and tasks that should be evaluated.

Examination development may involve:

• Practice analysis
• Content-outline development
• Item writing
• Clinical review
• Statistical evaluation
• Standard setting
• Security review
• Periodic revision

A practice analysis examines the responsibilities performed by respiratory therapists and technologists. The results help determine which subjects and clinical activities should receive greater or lesser emphasis on an examination.

Questions are reviewed for accuracy, clarity, relevance, and fairness. Statistical analysis is also used to evaluate how individual examination items perform. As respiratory care evolves, examination content must be revised to reflect new technology, evidence, safety practices, and professional responsibilities.

NCCA Accreditation

NBRC examination programs are accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. NCCA accreditation indicates that a credentialing program has been reviewed according to recognized standards.

The review may address:

• Governance
• Examination development
• Eligibility policies
• Scoring
• Security
• Candidate procedures
• Recertification
• Public information
• Fairness
• Quality assurance

Note: Accreditation does not indicate whether an examination is easy or difficult. It indicates that the credentialing process follows accepted professional standards. Programs are reviewed periodically as part of the accreditation renewal process.

The Role of PSI in NBRC Testing

The NBRC partners with PSI to support the administration of its credentialing examinations.

PSI provides services related to:

• Test scheduling
• Candidate identification
• Secure testing locations
• Computer-based examination delivery
• Test-center procedures
• Scoring support
• Data analysis

A broad testing network improves access and can reduce the need for candidates to travel long distances. Consistent testing procedures also help ensure that candidates receive comparable examination conditions at different locations.

Note: Security is important because compromised examination content could weaken the credibility of the credentialing process.

Credential Maintenance

Passing an examination demonstrates competence at a particular point in time. Respiratory care continues to change after a credential is earned.

New developments may affect:

• Ventilator technology
• Medication delivery
• Monitoring systems
• Infection prevention
• Clinical guidelines
• Patient safety
• Diagnostic testing
• Documentation
• Emergency response

Credential-maintenance programs encourage practitioners to continue their professional development.

Continuing education may be earned through:

• Conferences
• Webinars
• Online courses
• Hospital education
• Journal activities
• College courses
• Specialty training
• Simulation programs

Note: Requirements may vary according to the credential and current NBRC policies. State licensing boards may also have separate continuing education requirements. Respiratory therapists must understand both systems and maintain accurate records.

Credential Verification

Credential verification allows employers, licensing agencies, and other organizations to confirm a practitioner’s professional status.

Verification may include:

• Credential type
• Date awarded
• Current status
• Maintenance status
• Specialty designations

Verification protects employers and patients by helping prevent false claims of qualification.

Respiratory therapists should list credentials accurately on résumés, professional profiles, identification badges, and employment applications. A practitioner should not use a credential that has not been earned or is no longer valid.

Credentialing and Professional Identity

Professional credentials communicate a recognized level of preparation and competence.

Designations such as CRT, RRT, adult critical care specialist, neonatal and pediatric specialist, and pulmonary function credentials identify specific levels or areas of achievement.

These letters represent:

• Completion of eligibility requirements
• Successful examination performance
• Demonstrated competence
• Professional accountability
• Continuing education obligations

Note: Credentialing also supports the identity of respiratory therapy as a distinct healthcare profession. Respiratory therapists are clinicians who assess patients, interpret data, manage life-support equipment, recommend treatments, and participate in interdisciplinary care.

How Credentialing Protects Patients

Patients may not be able to evaluate a respiratory therapist’s technical competence directly.

A mechanically ventilated patient may not know whether the settings are appropriate. A patient completing pulmonary function testing may not recognize a technical error. A parent may not be able to determine whether a newborn’s oxygen therapy is being managed safely.

Healthcare systems therefore depend on several layers of quality assurance:

• Professional education
• Program accreditation
• National credentialing
• State licensure
• Clinical orientation
• Workplace competency assessment
• Medical oversight
• Institutional policies
• Quality improvement
• Professional ethics

Note: The NBRC contributes to this system by confirming that credentialed individuals have met established national standards. Credentialing cannot guarantee perfect performance, but it creates an important baseline for professional practice.

The NBRC Within the Respiratory Care Profession

The NBRC performs one part of a larger professional system.

• Credentialing Organizations: Evaluates individual competence and awards professional credentials.
• Educational Accreditors: Evaluate respiratory therapy educational programs.
• State Licensing Boards: Grant legal authority to practice and enforce licensing laws.
• Professional Associations: Provide advocacy, education, networking, and professional resources.
• Employers: Verify credentials, provide orientation, assess workplace competence, and assign responsibilities.
• Medical Directors: Provide clinical oversight and help establish policies and protocols.

Note: These responsibilities are connected, but they are not interchangeable.

Social Purpose and Professional Support

The NBRC also supports respiratory care through scholarships, public awareness, professional service, and community initiatives.

Its activities may include:

• Funding educational scholarships
• Promoting respiratory therapy careers
• Supporting awareness campaigns
• Participating in community programs
• Encouraging professional service

These efforts can help students enter the profession and increase public understanding of respiratory therapists.

Respiratory therapists work in hospitals, clinics, laboratories, home care, emergency transport, sleep centers, long-term care facilities, and other healthcare settings. Public awareness helps patients and other professionals better understand their role.

The Future of Respiratory Care Credentialing

Respiratory therapy continues to expand into advanced critical care, diagnostics, chronic disease management, transport, extracorporeal support, telehealth, education, and quality improvement.

Credentialing programs must adapt as clinical practice, technology, and patient-care responsibilities change.

Examination content may increasingly emphasize:

• Clinical judgment
• Evidence-based care
• Patient safety
• Data interpretation
• Advanced technology
• Interprofessional communication
• Quality improvement
• Ethical decision-making
• Chronic disease management
• Care across multiple settings

Note: The Respiratory Therapy Examination reflects an integrated approach to assessing professional competence. Candidates must demonstrate both what they know and how they apply that knowledge to patient care.

Final Thoughts

The National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) establishes national credentialing standards for respiratory therapists and pulmonary function technologists. Its general and specialty credentials connect professional education with examination performance, state licensure, employment, and career advancement.

The Respiratory Therapy Examination provides a unified pathway to the CRT and RRT credentials through dual cut scores and an integrated assessment of respiratory care knowledge and clinical judgment.

Through examination development, credential verification, accreditation, and maintenance requirements, the NBRC supports professional accountability and helps ensure that respiratory care practitioners are prepared to provide safe, informed, and effective patient care.